Ash [Prince Zuko - Book Two]

❃Chapter Twenty Three❃

Stars shone above her, flickering in the distance. The moon wasn't out yet, probably because the sun was slowly setting, casting a red sky above them. The old pirate's legends said that if there was a red sky at night, it would be a sailor's delight. Maybe that meant that her seasickness would disappear because there wouldn't be any storms throughout the night. Asake could only hope right now as she hung her head over the edge of the wretched boat, retching into the blue sparkly ocean.

Usually, her stomach always felt a little better at night. Maybe it was because the waves were smaller and that she didn't have to see the waves, if there were any, in the darkness. Or maybe it was because her and Zuko shared many of their moments in the darkness of the night. Thinking about Zuko made her stomach heave, though, so she knew she wouldn't be feeling any better tonight. Now, nights were tainted with the boy she was trying so hard to hate.

She sat up as the rest of the bile fell into the water, her head spinning. She desperately needed to keep something down soon or else she was going to die of malnutrition. That would be so painful, but maybe it would help her get rid of all this pain in her heart. That would be a welcome relief for her, wouldn't it? Yes, it would. It would bring her so much peace if she could just lay down and decay with the grass.

It seemed like the Spirits didn't have that in store for her, though.

"What are you thinking about?" Daza asked quietly. Asake turned around, facing him. She spotted Zasai behind him, sleeping. She had no idea how he could sleep on this deathtrap. "Are you okay?"

Asake wanted to lie to him, but she couldn't right now. Maybe it was because she was so vulnerable under the same stars that she shared with Zuko. Maybe it was something else. She whispered, "Zuko. Death. Everything."

Daza stopped rowing for a moment. A frown appeared on his face. "Were you two really that close?"

"Not on the ship." Asake shrugged, brushing her hair out of her face. Anger flared inside her heart as she thought about him. She thought that he had cared about her, but she was obviously wrong. Besides, he would never be able to see around his own pain and realize that there were other people who were hurting inside, too. "We were, but he burned that bridge now."

"I only ever saw you two fight."

"We did do a lot of that. That's why I'm done with him."

Daza started rowing again, and Asake saw a troubled look on his face in the faint starlight. "I'm glad you don't want anything to do with him anymore, Asake. He isn't a nice guy."

Asake stayed quiet as she let that statement wash over her. Deep in her heart, she didn't believe that. But the anger and pain that he had caused her squelched everything down until she only believed it. He did try to change into a better person, yes, but he was horrible at it. He was so selfish. He was so hotheaded. He was so sad.

"All of his life, he's had to fight to get where he is," Asake said softly. She couldn't believe that she was defending him right now, especially after everything he had done to her. "Yes, he does things wrong almost all the time, he has always wanted to fight for the good of the world. That's why his father banished him in the first place." She glanced at him to find such a look of hatred on his face. "I'm not sure if you could ever see how hard he has fought, though."

"You're right, I might not ever see the good in him. He never treated his crew members right, especially you."

"That's true." She leaned her head back as another wave of nausea rolled over her. The stars glittered up in the sky, looking just the same as they did when her and Zuko spoke together on their ship that night so long ago. "I didn't treat him right, either. We both let our anger and pain rule our lives until it burns everything down around us."